


every day you’re my most awaited (oh i’m captivated)

by sprinklednana



Series: you, always. (nomin oneshots) [17]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Fluff, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, light mentions of violence and bullying but nothing graphic, lit rally just markle embarrassing jeno
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:21:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22987036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sprinklednana/pseuds/sprinklednana
Summary: Of how Jeno Lee, the school’s star basketball player and golden boy, falls in love with bright and sweet Jaemin Na. (And of how Jaemin falls in love right back)
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin, past markhyuck
Series: you, always. (nomin oneshots) [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1132373
Comments: 12
Kudos: 612





	every day you’re my most awaited (oh i’m captivated)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [techyong](https://archiveofourown.org/users/techyong/gifts).



> And for @nominwol on twt.
> 
> it’s been soooo long, i fucking hate uni with a passion but whew look at this??? i was just gonna write a little paragraph but it accidentally became a 2k+ fic?
> 
> ANYWAY it’s bc i was inspired and so so so HAPPY bc i got to watch the dream show in manila!!!! (all thanks to nic @nominwol and ches @delicatenomin whom i dedicate this fic to, i love you both thank you for being so nice to me)
> 
> i made this as cheesy and as corny as possible bc i really love writing those types of fics i really really do :( <3
> 
> I would love to hear what you think about this!!! <3

_For someone who was known and loved as the strongest and one of the most aggressive players on the court, Jeno’s touch was gentle._

  
  
  
  
  
  


Jaemin had just watched a game of their school’s team a few days back and Jeno had been magnificent.

He was faster than the rest, and smarter. Sidestepping their rivals and never failing to support his teammates. When Jeno Lee was on the basketball court, everything worked in his favor. 

He demands, and the court gives.

The cheers for him were deafening but unsurprising. 

Whatever image Jeno Lee had built in this school, it was indomitable.

  
  
  
  
  
  


When someone had started a fight with Jaemin Na, it hurt like a bitch. Considering half of the student body regarded him as a _bright beautiful sweet boy_ , and the other half just didn’t care enough, he has never had to learn how to fight back. 

But this fight too was unsurprising. Inevitable, even.

Jeno Lee, who has never shown interest in anyone outside of his small circle of friends; never treated anyone with anything beyond polite kindness, had given him that and so much more.

  
  
  
  
  
  


It began with a few small glances in the school cafeteria. The burn of Mark Lee and Chenle Zhong’s stares impossibly hot on the side of Jaemin’s face as he passed by them.

He took nothing of it during the first time. Mark was very close with his older brother Jaehyun, and Jaemin thought Mark must’ve just mentioned him in passing. 

But it happened again on the next day, _and on the next, and on the next._

He asked Renjun, Donghyuck, and Jisung if they had ever felt like “the golden table,” as the student body liked to call it, was watching them whenever they passed by, but all he got was an incredulous look from Jisung, a scoff from Donghyuck who didn’t even bother to look up from his food, and a look he didn’t quite recognize from Renjun, who is Chenle Zhong’s childhood friend.

Jaemin narrowed his eyes at him and Renjun answered with nothing but a roll of his own, “Whatever it is, they don’t mean any harm. They’re pretty nice guys.”

“Oh they’re pretty, alright,” Donghyuck scoffs again, and Jaemin wonders if he even notices he keeps on doing it, “not sure about the nice part.”

“You’re just bitter Mark Lee dumped you last summer.” Factual. 

There was no bite in Jisung’s tone, but they all notice Donghyuck suppressing a flinch. Their youngest at least, looked appropriately guilty and wordlessly placed his muffin on the sunkissed boy’s tray.

“Actually, it was me who dumped him.” Donghyuck says lowly. Also factual. 

_You’re still bitter though_ , Jaemin wants to say but wisely opts not to.

Concluding that his friends were of no help at all, he settled on performing an experiment the day after. 

When he passes by the golden table, he chances a look back at them and what he sees just furthered his confusion then.

He met Mark Lee’s eyes and the elder gave him a small wave that he reluctantly returned. There was a look on his face Jaemin couldn’t quite pinpoint. He looked like he knew a funny joke that Jaemin didn’t. 

When his eyes traveled to the youngest member of the golden table, he saw him smirking at Jeno Lee. He whispers something to him, but Jaemin couldn’t gage his reaction as all he could see was the back of Jeno Lee’s head and the tips of his ears beginning to turn pink. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It all only, _truly_ , starts to make sense when he gets out of a frustrating hour and a half of Chemistry II and finds Jeno Lee leaning against his locker, clutching, almost nervously, at a handful of pink flowers.

Jeno Lee’s eyes curve at the sight of him, and _ah_ , Jaemin thinks, _no wonder the entire school willingly falls at his feet._

“Hey,” he says confidently, but the way his hands clutch tighter on the flowers give him away. Jaemin tries to ignore how this makes his heart swell just the tiniest bit. Just like how he ignores the growing silence in the hallway and how every eye who can reach them is _definitely_ watching. 

“Hi,” Jaemin smartly replies, almost making it sound like a question.

“This is for you,” Jeno Lee abruptly offers the flowers right at the younger’s face.

When Jaemin gingerly takes it, eyeing the golden boy in front of him who’s rubbing the back of his neck, now that he doesn’t have anything to hold anymore. 

The swelling of his heart strengthens.

“Sorry it’s not very fancy. I— I picked and arranged them myself and I kept it in my locker the whole day so it’s not the best looking but I— they remind me of your hair, and I just— I thought it was really pretty.” 

Jaemin had no idea what to say. And so he settles on being honest.

“I like them.” He had no idea his voice could sound so _high_ and _airy_. “Thank you, Jeno.”

And now Jeno had no idea what to say. 

So they both just smile and stare at each other, forgetting everything and everyone else, saying nothing like a couple of lovestruck idiots.

Someone in the hallway clears their throat and the spell is lifted.

Jaemin is the first to look away. “Don’t you have training?”

“Oh, no, we’re free on wednesdays, ” The elder replies, pointedly ignoring the teasing smirks of every single basketball player that passes by, “how ‘bout you?”

“Uh— I’m just— I have to go to a meeting for the photography club.”

Jeno Lee smiles at him, softly, “I shouldn’t keep you then, don’t wanna make sweet Jaemin late.”

“Y-yeah. Okay.” The younger begins to back away, “Thank you again for the flowers. Drive home safe.”

Jaemin ignores Jeno Lee’s blinding smile at his parting words. The same way he ignores the tickling feeling Jeno Lee calling him “sweet” gave him.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It was almost funny how the photography meeting was all about how they had to take individual pictures of varsity players from various sports teams.

Jaemin was assigned to Yuta Nakamoto from the soccer team, Renjun for the swim team, and Chenle Zhong for the basketball team.

He tries not to let it show that he was disappointed Jisung had been assigned to Jeno Lee. Because he was _not_. He really _really_ wasn’t.

It was almost funnier too how, when the time to take pictures of the basketball players arrived, it took only a few seconds after them saying which photographers were assigned to which member, for Chenle to declare loudly,

“ _Oh_ my _good_ friend Jisung Park!”

Earning a confused “ _huh_?” from the youngest, which the chinese boy merely took in stride, continuing with “we haven’t caught up in _so long_! We should definitely catch up now! How about you take my pictures instead?”

Giving no one the time to reply, Chenle snatches at an embarrassed but pleased Jeno Lee’s arm and pushes him towards Jaemin, “Here, have Jeno instead,” earning snickers from all the basketball players in the room.

If Jeno Lee smiles the brightest and the most beautiful smile for that picture, then that is nobody’s business but his own.

And if Jaemin keeps a copy of that picture on his laptop and had half a mind to make it his desktop wallpaper, then the same goes for him.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Jeno Lee didn’t stop with the flowers. From all his cute little gifts, the notes had been Jaemin’s favorite.

  
  


_You looked pretty today._

  
  


_Thank you for taking such a nice picture of me. You’re really talented._

  
  


_Sorry if you keep catching me staring at you during lunch, you just make the cutest faces when you share stories with your friends. I can’t help it._

  
  


_That low-necked shirt you were wearing today was really something. Damn._

  
  


_Anyone ever tell you that you have the prettiest smile ever? Because they should._

  
  


_I like you a lot. That’s already so fucking obvious but I just realized I never really told you outright._

  
  


_I didn’t know you could sing. What do I have to sacrifice to get a chance to hear it again?_

  
  


_Damn Na, you really know how to take a boy’s breath away._

  
  


_Seeing you is the best part of my day._

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Although news traveled fast in high school, and so everybody knew about Jeno Lee liking Jaemin only a few hours after the whole flowers thing, it apparently was one thing for the golden boy to take an interest in you, and another to show that you took an interest back.

Jeno Lee was praised and loved by many, Jaemin knew it was inevitable that he had to fight some delusional people somewhere along the way. He just didn’t know that the fight had to involve actual fists. _Physical fighting really was never his strong suit_.

But Jaemin had decided from the day sweet and kind Jeno Lee first waited by his locker, that this boy was worth it.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Jaemin wasn’t entirely sure but he has almost convinced himself that the pivotal point in his and Jeno’s relationship, in which other people wrongly assume they are part of, is one faithful day when Jaemin goes up to the golden table, eyes locked with Jeno Lee’s very own.

“ _Hey_ ,” he breathes out, hands shaking from the nerves and his heart threatening to burst out of his chest.

“Hey there, _sweet thing_ ,” Jeno coolly replies, eyes turning into crescents and mouth helplessly forming a bright grin, “whatcha got there?”

Well aware of the entire table — _the entire school_ — staring at him, Jaemin gulps before carefully placing a small box decorated with cute stickers and ribbons right in front of the golden boy.

“I made these for you last night. They’re chocolate chip cookies, nothing special. Y— you don’t have to finish it if you don’t like them. I just— it’s good luck for your game later. So... good luck.”

He anxiously bites at his lower lip as Jeno Lee stares at the small box like it held all the seven wonders of the world, not even bothering to hide how endeared he was. 

“Thank you, Jaemin,” he breathes out a chuckle, like he couldn’t believe whatever he had done to deserve this. “I love it already.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


That small box of cookies adorned with cheesy hearts and even cheesier pick up lines had apparently been enough for a certain delusional person to get someone from the rugby team to beat Jaemin up. On the account of him stealing Jeno Lee, of course.

His name was Hyunjin, Jaemin thinks, but he wasn’t a hundred percent sure. When the boy cornered him right after a joint meeting with the school paper, mouth set into a grim line, Jaemin knew he was _done_ for.

It didn’t matter what his name was, all that matter at that moment was that he was twice as big as Jaemin and a million times more ready for a fight.

With fear and panic racking through his body, all he remembers now, sitting on the bleachers with a kneeling Jeno Lee in front of him was he somehow managed to run away.

But not before an angry “ _stay away from him_ ,” was hissed right at his face, and a couple of hits where the teachers won’t see the bruises. 

It was less of a fight than of Jaemin getting beat up and only managing to get one hit at his attacker’s face that only ended up bruising his own knuckles.

But the hit was enough for Hyunjin to leave an opening for Jaemin to escape.

And so he ran _and he ran and he ran_ , his feet unconsciously taking him to the school’s gym where he came face to face with the boy’s basketball team and the girl’s volleyball team who all looked at him in horror.

Jaemin doesn’t have a memory of getting punched in the face but if he warranted a look like that from other students, then maybe he _had_ been hit in the face.

Mark Lee was the first person who got to him, hovering worriedly and saying so many things that Jaemin tried to understand but _couldn’t_.

His heart was racing and his mind was completely blank, the only thing making sense to him was a warm hand gently settling on his arm and a soft “ _Hey, sweet thing. You need a hug?_ ”

Jaemin, in fact, _did_ need a hug. He nods slightly and Jeno Lee didn’t waste any time wrapping his arms around the only slightly smaller boy. 

The younger could feel Jeno’s sweat through his shirt but it didn’t matter. He was warm and he was kind and he would _never_ hurt Jaemin. He pressed his face against the elder’s neck.

“You’re with me now,” Jeno whispers, “it’s gonna be okay.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It was just the two of them now, after all of the other students disappeared from the school gym; Mark Lee and Chenle Zhong leaving with the promise that they will be the ones to report to the principal.

For all his adrenaline and power on the court, Jeno Lee was _so_ soft and _so_ careful, Jaemin’s bruised hands carefully placed on top of his own.

The golden boy presses a soft kiss to every single knuckle.

When he speaks, there is no bite. “ _Name_.” Jeno looks him straight in the eye, “Give me the name of the person who did this to you.”

Jeno Lee was not unkind, nor was he violent. There was no anger or contempt in his voice. There was, however, a _promise_. Jaemin suddenly felt sorry for his attacker.

“He doesn’t matter.” Jaemin says. Factual.

“He _hurt_ you. Of course it does. It matters to _me_.”

When Jeno Lee looks at him like that. Like — _Jaemin couldn’t put it into words properly_ — Jaemin could ask for the world and he would not hesitate to give it to him, the younger couldn’t help but drop everything altogether and ask him,

“What would you do if I kiss you right now?”

The elder misses a beat. _several beats._ Before he replies simply, “You just got hurt.”

“You didn’t answer my question.” Jaemin says, quieter than a whisper.

And Jeno looks at him like that again, and this time Jaemin _can_ put it properly into words. Because right now, it was clear as day. 

_Jeno Lee was looking at Jaemin Na like he was in love with him._

“I’d kiss you back.”

And he does.

When Jaemin leans down to cup the kneeling boy’s face with both palms, they meet in a kiss.

It was soft, gentle, and careful. _It was the sweetest thing Jeno had ever tasted._

The younger boy melted into the kiss and Jeno had to reach up to anchor Jaemin with both hands holding the younger’s hips.

The first time Jeno made a nice and clean shot from half the court, his heart leapt with joy. He was young and he had been practicing so hard to make that one shot.

He was overcome with the feeling of discovering something he loved. Of discovering something he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

He gathered the courage to ask the court for the first time, and it _gave_.

This kiss was that first nice clean shot. 

When the younger pulls away, he says, “It doesn’t matter. None of it matters. _I’m with you now. It’s going to be okay._ ”

**Author's Note:**

> You can also ask me questions in my [cc](https://curiouscat.me/sprinklednana) or [twt](https://twitter.com/sprinklednana?lang=en) if you want! <3


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